Greatest Gift of All
by Spicetwist
Summary: Laura's memories of Luke return on their 21st Anniversary


It was a cool, rainy, November day in London.  A nurse entered Laura Spencer's hospital room.  Laura was still asleep. The nurse opened the blinds before moving to Laura's bedside.  She put her hand on Laura's shoulder and gently shook her.  "Good morning," she said with a smile.

Laura yawned and groaned before she opened her eyes.  She sat up in the bed and stretched.  She turned to face the nurse.  The light coming in the window was so bright that she had to squint to see the nurse.  "Is it morning already?" she asked in a sleepy voice.

"Yes.  It's time to get up.  Would you like help dressing this morning?"

"No.  I can do it myself.  Thanks," Laura said.

"Ok, I'll be right outside if you need me," the nurse said.  She passed the calendar on her way out of the room.  She tore the top page off so the calendar showed the correct day.

Laura got out of bed and started to get dressed.  Her eyes landed on the calendar.  She couldn't stop looking at it.  There was something about the date that stirred something inside her.

"November 16th," she said to herself.  "Why does this date seem so important?"

Her thoughts were interrupted by the nurse returning.  "You aren't dressed.  Aren't you feeling well?"

"I'm… I'm fine.  I was just thinking."

"Thinking?  Are you remembering something about your life outside the hospital?" the nurse asked hopefully.  "Should I call your doctor?"

"No.  I don't need the doctor.  I haven't remembered anything," Laura told her.  "I'll finish getting dressed now."  She watched the nurse  leave the room.  "I haven't remembered anything yet, but I will," Laura whispered to herself.  She finished dressing just as her breakfast arrived.

***

Several hours later, Laura was sitting in the chair next to her bed.  She was watching the orderly who came in to remove her lunch tray.  He was cleaning up the mess she had made when her drink overturned.  This was the first time this particular orderly had been in her room.

The orderly sensed her staring at him.  He looked up from wiping up the spill.  "Hi," he said nervously.

"Hi," Laura said.  She continued to stare at him.  "Are you new here?  I don't think I've seen you before."

"This… this is my first day."  He seemed like he wasn't sure it was safe to be talking to her.  He quickly grabbed the tray and left the room.

Laura sighed.  She had thought the guy was cute.  She shook her head to get that thought out of her mind.  She was a married woman and Scott wouldn't like for her to be looking at another man.

The door to her room opened and the orderly came back in.  He remained silent as he quickly crossed the room and picked up the glass he had forgotten.  Laura watched as he left the room again.  

"Married or not, he's still cute," Laura said to herself.  "I love his curly hair."

Thinking about his hair brought Laura's attention back to the calendar.  As she stared at the calendar images started going through her head.

She saw herself standing at an alter outside a large mansion.  "The Mayor's Mansion," Laura thought.  She was wearing a wedding gown and standing next to a tall man with curly hair.

In her mind, she heard the man say,_ "I Lucas Lorenzo Spencer, take thee Laura Webber Baldwin, to be my wedded wife.  To have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part.  And thereto unto thee, I pledge my troth."_

She saw herself placing a ring on the man's finger and saying, "I Laura Webber Baldwin, take thee Lucas Lorenzo Spencer, to be my wedded husband.  To have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part.  And thereto I pledge thee my troth."

Laura's thoughts came back to the present.  She looked at her hand and saw the engagement ring.  She gasped.  "I'm not married to Scotty.  I was married to…. Luke!"

She jumped out of the chair and ran to the bed.  She rang for the nurse and then began pacing while she waited for her.

The nurse opened the door and stepped inside.  Before the nurse could speak, Laura turned to face her.  "I need to speak to my doctor."

"What's wrong?"

"I remembered something!" Laura said with excitement.

"I'll find him."  The nurse smiled and left to find the doctor.  She had been told to call him if Mrs. Spencer ever remembered anything.

About twenty minutes later, the doctor came into Laura's room.  "The nurse said that you remembered something."

"Yes," Laura said.  "I remember getting married.  Today's my anniversary."

"Do you know who you're married to?" the doctor asked.  Ever since Laura had arrived, she had insisted that she was married to Scott Baldwin.  The doctor wondered if she knew the truth now.

"I'm married to Luke Spencer.  I mean, I was married to him.  We're divorced, but we  were going to be remarried."

The doctor smiled at her.  Laura's mental state seemed to be improving.  He was encouraged by her memories.

"I want to see my husband," Laura said.  "I want to see Luke."

***

Late that evening in Port Charles, Luke Spencer sat at the bar in his club.  His life hadn't been the same since Laura had been sent to the hospital in London.  He had gone through a period where he was set of self destruction, followed by a period of denial.  But nothing had changed the fact that Luke needed his Angel.

The days he had spent without Laura had been torture for him.  Today had been the toughest day of all.  It was their anniversary and he was spending it without her.

Luke got off the bar stool and walked behind the bar.  He set several shot glasses on the counter and filled each one with whiskey.  He picked up the first shot glass and held it up like he was going to make a toast.  "Happy Anniversary," he said sarcastically.

Before he could take a drink, the phone rang.  "Go away!" he yelled at the phone.  The phone continued to ring.  He groaned and slammed the glass down on the bar.  He grabbed the phone.  "Hello!"

"Mr. Spencer?" said the voice at the other end.

"Yes.  This is Luke Spencer."

"Mr. Spencer, this is Dr. Franklin.  I'm your wife's doctor."

He had Luke's full attention now.  "What's wrong?  Did something happen to her?"

"No.  She's fine Mr. Spencer.  She has started remembering a few things from her past.  Mr. Spencer, you wife has asked to see you."

He never got to say anything else.  Luke had dropped the phone and ran out of the club.  He was already on his way to the airport.

***

Early the next morning, Luke arrived at the hospital.  The doctor led him to Laura's room.

"I'm not sure how much you wife remembers, Mr. Spencer.  She doesn't want to talk about it with anyone, but you," the doctor said as he unlocked the door to her room.

Luke walked slowly into the room.  He wasn't sure what to expect.  He saw Laura sitting in a chair by the window.

"Laura?" he said quietly.

Laura stood up and turned to face him.  She stared at him a few minutes.  She walked a little closer and stared deep into his eyes, the eyes that always made her feel safe.  "Luke," she whispered.  She ran to him and threw herself into his arms.  "Oh Luke!"

"Shhh!  It's all right.  Everything is going to be fine.  I'm here now," he said kissing her forehead.  "I'm never going to leave you again."

"Luke, I killed Rick," she said as tears rolled down her face.

"You thought he was going to hurt you.  Don't worry about that now.  We'll work through it together.  I'm going to stay here in London until you're well enough to leave the hospital."

"What about Lulu?  Is she ok?"

"Lulu's fine.  She's with Bobbie and your mother."

Laura smiled at him.  She saw the calendar hanging on the wall behind him.  "Luke, yesterday… yesterday was our anniversary."

"I know, Angel.  I could never forget that."  Luke reached into his pocket and pulled out a small package.  "I bought this for you months ago, before… um…  Before you got sick."

Laura took the package and unwrapped it.  Inside was a gold necklace shaped like an angel.  The wings were covered with diamonds.  "Oh Luke," she said.

Luke took the box from her and removed the necklace.  She turned her back to him so he could put it on her.  "An angel for my Angel," he whispered into her ear as he leaned towards her to kiss her cheek.

She turned back to face him.  He noticed the tears running down her face.

"What's wrong?" he asked.  "Don't you like it?"

"I love it!" she reassured him.

"Is it me then?  Did I do something to upset you?"

"No Luke.  I just feel bad because I didn't get you a gift."

"Oh Laura, you did give me a gift.  You gave me the greatest gift of all.  You came back to me."

Laura smiled at him.  "Always," she said.  "I will always come back to you."

"I love you Angel," Luke whispered leaning towards her.

"I love you too, Luke.  I love you too," she said as she wrapped her arms around his neck.  For the next few minutes she was lost in his kiss.

Laura knew she had a long way to go to get well, but she knew she could do it.  She had everything she needed.  She had the best doctor there was and more importantly she had the love of a special, amazing man.  She knew that with Luke by her side, anything was possible.

The end.


End file.
